Carpet-stretcher



(No Model.)

A. H. MOORE.

CARPET STRBTCHER.

No. 476,960. Patented June 14, 1892.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT H. MOORE, OF GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

CARPET-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 476,960, dated June 14, 1892. Application filed November 11, 1890. Serial No. 371,037. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. MOORE, of Gloucester, in the county of Essex and-State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in OarpetStretchers, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification. v

My invention relates to carpet-stretchers of that class which are used for stretching carpets along the lines of the seams and that are sometimes termed carpet-vises; and it consists in certain novel features of construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which will be readily understood by reference to the description of the drawings and to the claims hereinafter given, and in which my invention is clearly pointed out.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view of a stretcher embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same in engagement with the carpet and in the position it occupies when the strain has been applied to the carpet. I

In making carpets the edges of the breadths are liable to be contracted somewhat in sewing them together, and in the case of heavy carpets, like tapestry and Brussels, it requires a very powerful purchase to strain the carpet 011 the lines of the seams to a sufficient extent to overcome the contraction and make the carpet lie smooth upon the floor. Heretofore it has been the practice after nailing one edge of the carpet along the ends of the breadths to fold over a portion of the carpet upon itself at the opposite side of the room and clamp said folded portion of the carpet between the jaws of a vise, and then, by means of a lever having a sharp point adapted to be inserted in the floor and a pin or shoulder on the vise, pry said vise toward the wall of the room to strain the carpet along the line of a seam. When the vise has been moved as far as the lever can move it, the carpet must be temporarily tacked to permit the lever to be moved to obtain a new hold upon the floor for a further strain, or to permit the edge of the carpet to be finally secured in position. As the lever is an independent tool from the vise, the operator has to hold the lever with one hand while he does the tacking with the other hand. This has been found in practice to be somewhat objectionable, and to obviate this difficulty and produce a tool by the use of which the heaviest carpets can be properly stretched, and the operator may have both hands at liberty for use in tacking the carpet while the strain of the stretcher is maintained thereon is the object of my invention.

In the drawings, A is the under jaw of the vise, made some three inches in width and concavo-convex in the direction of the length of its handle and having a straight front edge, a serrated or grooved upper surface, as shown at. a in Fig. 2, and provided with the handle 17, the ears 0 c, and the sharp-pointed horn d, projecting from its under side near its front edge at an angle of about one hundred and twenty degrees (more or less) to the general line of said handle, all made in one piece.

B is the upper jaw of the vise, pivoted to the ears 0 c at c, having its outer or lower face eccentric to its pivotal axis and corrugated 0r creased, as shown at f in Fig. 2, and provided with the handle g, as shown.

The jaws A and B are so formed and arranged relative to each other that a movement of the handles 1) and g toward each other will cause the jaws A and B to approach each other, and when a fold of carpet is placed between them, as shown in Fig. 2, the harder the strain is upon the carpet the firmer said jaws will grip the carpet.

The free end of the handle I) is made of con siderable width and its under surface is made substantially fiat transversely, so that when depressed in contact with the floor the operator can place his knee upon said handle tohold it down, and thus keep the tool steady while he uses his hands in tacking the carpet to the floor at a point forward of the visejaws, as at h in Fig. 2, and the pointed fulcrum-horn d is arranged at such an angle to the general direction of the handle I) that said horn will maintain its hold on the floor when the end of said handle rests upon the floor, as shown in Fig. 2.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The folded edge of the carpet is placed be tween the jaws A and B and the handle is depressed until the carpet is firmly clamped between said jaws, thehorn cl having its sharp point driven into the floor when the tool is held in a position with the handles 19 and g perpendicular, or nearly so, and then the handles are moved toward the right, or away from the carpet, and downward until the free end of the lever b rests upon the floor, when the operator places his knee upon said lever 12 and then drives one or more tacks to secure the carpet, as ath. g, connected to the upper jaw B, is used for closing said jaw upon the carpet, and also for releasing the grip of the jaws upon the carpet after it has been stretched and tacked.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

In a carpet-stretcher, the combination of the handle I), provided with the ears 0 c and jaw A, formed in one piece with said handle and having a straight front edge and made concavo-convex in the direction of the length of It is obvious that the handle said handle, the pointed fulcrum-horn 01, also formed in one piece with said jaw and handle and projecting from said jaw at its front edge at an angle to the handle I) of about one hundred and twenty degrees, and the handle 9 and jaw B, formed in one piece and pivoted to the ears 0 c, the inner face of the jaw A and the outer face of the jaw B being arranged eccentric to the pivotal connection of the jaw B to the ears 0 c, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of 0 two subscribing witnesses, on this 8th day of November, A. D. 1890.

' ALBERT H. MOORE.

Witnesses:

N. O. LOMBARD, WALTER E. LOMBARD. 

